Simplex contraction socket



July 15, 1930. A. R. woLFE 1,770,377

SIMPLEX CONTRACTION SOCKET l Y Filed March 6, 1929 #ECH/5 ,e )VOLPE INVENTOR ATTORNEY a panded; Fig. 3,

Patented July 15,` 1930 PATENT oFFlcE ARCHIE BEXALD WOLFE, OF SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY sIAMPLEx coNfrnAc'rIoN socxE'r AppIication led March 6, 1929. Serial No. 344,891.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT 0F MARCH, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 192B; 370 0. G. 757) adapted to carry larger electric currents, and

15 third, to produce a contraction socket readily designed for use as wall land base board rece tacles in the home and other buildings.l

` here are many ways in which cam means in combination with spring means can be 2c used to elevate and depress the screw rim attaching and detaching meansin a sim lex contraction socket, therefore, only one orm of m. invention is illustrated in the accompanymg drawing, in which, Fig. 1, is a ,view

z5 looking down on the top of the invention from a point vertically above its center; Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view on the broken line 1-1, Fig. 1 Figure 2 is -a view similar to Figure 2 showin the lever contact jaws ex- 1s a vertical sectional view on the' broken 1ine-2-2, Fig. 1'; and Fig. 4, is a view ofthe inward face of one of the compound cams used for elevating 'and'expandin the hinged lever jaws.

Simi ar numerals refer to' similar parts throughout the several views. 'f

The control shaft 1, projects through the bearing aportar-e2, provided in the side of the lower section .3, of the insulation body,

ture 8, in lthe other sidev of said section 3.-

Said cams 6, and 7, are provided with the vertical acting cams 9, and 10, the horizontal acting camsgll, and 12, and the stops 13, and 14, respectively, and are secured to said shaft by means of the set screws 15, and 16, re-

spectively. Referring to Fig. 4, said horizontal acting cams 11, and 12', begin and are the latter or said then through the .central apertures 4, and 5,

minimum at point A, and radually increasein thickness in an anticloc wise direction to a maximum at point B. g

The inner face of the jaws ofthe lever contact jaws 17 and 18,'are provided with raised 55 ribs or threads adapted to grip .the threads of the screw rim of the standard plug or lamp without screwing. Said lever contact jaws are hinged near their middle ortion to the movable metal fulcruxn 19, to t e middle 60' of which is secured the main lever spring 20, the ends of which are depressed against the inner surface of the lower ends of'saidlever contact jaws 17 and 18, thus tending to keep the upper ends or jaws of the latter in the contracted position as shown in Figs.' 1, and 2. The lower ends of said levers 17 and 18,

and said lever spring 20, are slotted to straddle said shaft 1.

The center contact terminal post 21, and the center contact 22, are secured in cavities provided in the lower and upper end respectively, of said section 3,'by means of the machine threaded 'screw 23.. Said center contact 22, projects upward through anaperture provided in the upper section 24, of the insulation body. Y

The lever depressing springs 25, and 26, encircle said levers 17, andv 18, and are depressed between said fulcrum 19, and the bottom flange of the metal receptor 27, thus tending to keep the horizontal surfaces of the .shoulders 28, and 29, of said levers 17, and 18,

depressed upon said vertical acting cams 9,

and 10, respectively. The upper ends of said 85, springs 25, and 26, ride on the washer bushings 30, and 31, respectively, which are adapted to slide freely-over the apertures 32, and 33,

in said receptor 27. 4 Section 3, section 24, and receptor 27, are 90 clamped together by means of the tie bolts 34, and 35. The former of which is secured by a nut threaded toit and counter sunk in the 'bottom of said section 3, and said bolt,35, is l threaded to and secured by the receptor terminal post 36. Said receptor. 27, is adapted to aecommodate'the screw rim of the standard plug or lamp without screwing, and isy provided with the slots 37, and 38, for accom-V modating the jaw of said lever contact jawsv and bolt 35, to said receptor terminal post 36.-

When large current carrying capacity is desired the flexible conductor 42, may be connected between said fulcrum 19, and bolt 35,

as shown in Figs. 1, and 3.

Starting with the mechanism inthe position as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the operationof said socket is brieiy described as follows: The handle 41, is turned left one hundred eighty degrees until the stops 13, and 14 engage on one side of the shoulders 28, and 29.

During the firstl ninety degrees said cams 9, and l0, acting on the horizontal surfaces of said shoulders 28, and 29, raise the lever contact jaws 17, and 18, a maximum distance against the tension o f the springs 25, and 26. During the second ninety degrees the cams 11, and 12, acting on the vertical surfaces of said shoulders 28, and 29, open or expand the jaws of said lever contact jaws- 17 and 18 'a maximum distance against t-he tension oithe main spring 20. The screw rim of a I standard plug 0r lamp may now be inserted,

without screwing, into said receptor 27, as lfar as it will go. The handle 41, is then A turned right one hundred eighty degrees until said stops 13, and 14, engage with the other side of said shoulders 28, and 29. During the first ninety degrees of the latter movement said cams 11, and 12, release said levers 17, and 18, permitting the jaws of the latter to. be contracted by said main spring 20, and attach said screw rim.y During the second -ninety degrees said cams`9, and 10, release said levers 17, and 18, permitting said springs 25, and 26, to depress said lever contact jaws,

- drawing said plug or-lamp farther into said receptor 27, or until the center contact of said plug or lamp engages and makes electrical contact with the center contact 22, of said socket.- To disengage and disconnect said plug or lamp, simply turn handle 41,

. leftward one hundred eighty degrees.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governament of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

I claim:

1. vIn a contraction socket comprising an insulation body, ameans upon said body for attaching and detaching the screw rim of the standard plug or lamp without screwing the latter or said socket, a. means for elevating and depressing said attaching and detaching means, and a means on the outside of said body for operating said attachin and detachlng means and elevating and epressing means.

2. In a contraction socket comprising an insulation body, hinged metal jaws upon said body for attaching and detaching the screw rim of the standard plug or lamp without screwing the latter or said socket, a means within said body for contracting and expanding said hinged jaws, a means within said bodyfor elevating and depressing said hinged jaws, and a means on the outside of said body for operating said contracting and expanding means and elevating and depressing means.

3. In a contraction socket and the like comprising an insulation body, lever jaws upon said body and hinged to a ulcrum vertically movable with respect to said body, a means within said body for expanding and contracting said lever jaws, a means within said body for elevating and depressing said lever jaws, and a means on the outside of said body for operating said expanding and contracting means' and elevating and depressing means.

4. In a contraction socket and the like comprising an insulation body, hinged lever jaws mounted upon said body, a cam means in coml bination with springmeans within said body for expanding and contracting and elevating and depressing said lever jaws, and a single means on the outside of said body for operating saidcam means and spring means.

5. In a contraction socket comprising an upper and lower section insulation body and a receptor mounted upon said upper section, a terminal post mounted upon said lower section for said receptor, a center contact upon said upper position, a terminal post mounted upon said lower section for said center contact, lever jaws hinged to a movable fulcrum within said lower section and projecting upward within said4 receptor, means within said lower section for elevating and depressing and contracting and expanding said lever jaws, and a single means on the outside of said lower section vfor operating said elevating and depressing and contracting and expanding means,

6. In a contraction socket comprising a metal receptor mounted upon an insulation body, lever jaws upon said receptor and hinged to a fulcrum vertically movable within said body, a spring secured to said fulcrum for contracting said lever jaws, springs depressed between said fulcrum and said receptor for depressing said lever jaws, a means for expanding said lever jaws against the tension of said contracting spring and for elevating said lever jaws against the tension of said depressing springs and comprising two -rotary compound cams secured to a rotatable vshaft and adapted to v engage said lever jaws, bearings u on said body for said shaft, and an insulate handle projecting on the outside of said body and secured to said shaft for rotating the latter. v

7 In a contraction socket comprising a receptor adapted to accommodate the screw rim of the standar-d plug or lamp Without screwing and mounted upon an insulation body, hinged lever jaws upon said receptor and projecting Within said body, a spring means Within said body for contracting said 10 jaws, a spring means within said body for depressing said lever jaws, a cam means withiny said body for elevating and expanding said lever aws, and a means on the outside of said vbody for operating said spring means and cam means. Y

ARCI-IIE REXALD WOLFE. 

